End post



vMay 6 1 924.

s. s. PORTER vEND PosT me@ June ,9. 1923 Patented May 6, 1924.

UNITED ,STATES` PATENT oFFic-E.

SIDNEY S. PORTER, 0F EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO CALUMET STEEL OOM-PANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

END POST.` Y

Application filed June' 9,

To all/w from t may concern Be it known that I, SIDNEY S. PORTER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Evanston, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements inEnd Posts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to metal posts, and more particularly to endposts forV rape arbors having horizontal wires, like ay ence, forsupporting the same.

One object of my invention is to provide the en-d posts with anchormeans inadeand arranged to resist the pull of the wires thereon, due tothe tautness of the wires and the weight of the vines thereon.

Another object of my invention is Ito provide either one or both `endposts with wire winding devices, one for each wire, and made a part ofthe post structure, so that separate devices for this purpose areavoided and tightening of the wires permitted from time to time b-yactuating the winding devices to take up any slack in the wires.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of lockfor releasably holding the winding devices against rotation so that thewires may be kept taut after being tightened.

The invention consists further in the matters hereinafter described andmore particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. l is a view of a grape arboremploying an en-d post of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side View of said post;

Fig. B-isa front View of the same;

gig. 4 is a top plan view of the same; an

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of details to be hereinafterdescribed.

The arbor shown in Fig. 1 comprises two end posts 1, 2, intermediateline posts 3, 3 and horizontal wires 4, 4 stretched between and securedto said posts for supporting the grape vines 5, 5. The wires 4, 4 in theparticular installation shown, are two in number and are verticallyspaced apart, being secured to the upright line posts 3, 3 in anysuitable manner, as by staples 6, 6. Said line posts 3 are of metal,preferably rolled in the form of T-bars, with holes therein for thestaples to pass through and be 1923.' serial No. 644,297.

clinched againstthe back of the front flanges of said posts.

Theend posts 1, 2-are also madel of metal, preferably rolled, and eachis provided on the portion embedded in the ground with two substantiallyvflat anchor plates `7,' 7. Said plates 7, 7 are secured to vthe posts1, 2 in any suitable manner, as by; bolts 8,8 vand beyond .both sides ofthe same, as ,'shown. These plates 7, 7 are spaced apart lengthwise ofthe `post ,y so that one .plate will'be adjacent the lower .end ofthepost and an-- other higher up adjacent the surface of the ground, asindicated in Fig. 1. By this arare arranged to extend across and projectn 1, 2 are made U-.shape in cross-section and are set up in the groundwith their channels facing so that rvthe same below th ground surfaceare filled with earth.` F

To take up kthe slack in the wires 4, 4, from Itime to time, withoutresetting -the lend posts at further angles backward,y as heretoforerequired, I provide on one end post, namely, the one 1, Iwire tighteners-or take up devices. Each device lcomprises a-winding member ,or drum9,rota-tably lsupported by the side Walls 10, 10o-f post 1 and eX-tending between them, as shown in Fig. `4. Said member 9 has itsy endsr`projecting through and beyond said walls 10, 10 and at one end,outside said post, there is a transverse hole 11 to receive a turningrod or handle 12. Between its ends, said member 9 has a hole 13 toreceive an end of the adj acent wire 4 and enable it to be woundthereon, as the member 9 is turned.

To hold the member 9 from turning to release the tautness of a wirewound thereon, I provide a lock 14. This is made in one piece and of theshape shown in Fig. 6. As there illustrated, said lock is bent toprovide a mid-section 15 and parallel end sections 16, 16. The latterare on the same side of the mid-section 15 and make the lock 14 somewhatU-shape' in form.

The mid-section 15 extends through a hole 17 at the end of the member 9opposite the handle 12 and permits turning the lock 12 from a positionstanding outside of the post, as shown inv Fig. 3 to a position spanningthe post as shown in Fig. 4. In the latter position, the lock 14 has itsends 16, 16 engaging the back and one front edge of the post 1 and holdsthe member 9 against turning to hold the wire from slackening. The lock14 spanning the post 1 ink this manner makes the lock effective at eachhalf turn of the member 9.

The other end post 2, may, if desired, be provided with these wire takeup devices, although not needed when the same are carried by and form apart of the other post 1. When not so provided, the wires 4, 4 may beattached or secured to the post 2 in any suitable manner suicient tostand the strain when made taut by turning the members 9, 9.

By making the post 1 U-shape, side walls 10, 10 are provided as supportsfor the members 9, 9, and thus make possible the incorporation of thewire tightening devices directly in the post structure and be a .part ofit. This avoids the use of separate wire tighteners or the fastening ofwire tightening devices on the post. Moreover,-it allows for tighteningthe wires 4, 4 from time to time without resetting the posts, andfurther, avoids the uses of braces or guyes to interfere or hinderplowing between the vines 5, 5.

While I have shown and described in detail herein, anchor plates and apost with wire tighteners made in accordance with my invention, it is,of course, to be understood that the details of construction andarrangement of parts may be variously modified without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A post, comprising a body section, U- shape in form, a wire windingmember extending across the channel of said post and rotatably supportedby the side walls thereof, said member extending beyond the side wallsof said post and provided at one end outside said post with an openingto receive means for turning said member, and a lock carried by theother end of said mein- 'ber outside said post to be swung into and outof spanning engagement with said post for releasably holding said memberagainst rotation.

2. A post, comprising a body section substantially U-shape in form andhaving aligned holes in its side walls, a wire winding member extendingacross the channel of said post between said side walls and having itsends rotatably supported in said holes with the ends of said memberprojecting beyond said side walls, one end of said member being formedto receive means for turning said member, and a lock at the other end ofsaid member, said lock having a mid-section engaged with said member andend sections transverse to said mid-section and turnable therewith intoand out of spanning engagement with the back and one of the front edgesof the post for releasably holding said member against rotation] 3. Apost, comprising a body section substantially U-shape in form and havingaligned holes in its side walls, a wire winding member extending acrossthe channel of said post between said side walls and having its endsrotatably supported in said holes with the ends of said memberprojecting beyond said said walls, one end of said member being formedto receive means for turning said member, and a lock at the other end ofsaid member outside said post, said lock having a mid-section engagedwith said member and end sections transverse to said mid-section andturnable therewith into and out of spanning engagement with the back andone front edge of the post for releasably locking said member againstrotation, said lock being carried by said member in a manner to span thepost at each halt turn of said member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I afiix mysignati'ire, this 7th day of June, 1923.

SIDNEY S. PORTER.

